On the other hand, it is strongly recommended that every pregnant woman take systematic prenatal care. Prenatal care, also known as antenatal care, refers to the medical and nursing care recommended for women before and during pregnancy. The aim of good prenatal care is to detect any potential problems early, to prevent them if possible(through recommendatio exercisens on adequate nutrition,, vitamin  intake etc.), and to direct the woman to appropriate specialists, hospitals, etc. if necessary. The availability of routine prenatal care has played a part in reducing maternal death rates and miscarriages as well as birth defects, low birth weight, and other preventable infant problems. Animal studies indicate that mothers’(and possibly fathers’) diet, vitamin intake, and glucose levels prior to ovulation conception have long-term effects on fetal growth and adolescent and adult disease. While availability of prenatal care has considerable personal health and social benefits, socio-economic problems prevent its universal adoption in many developed as well as developing nations. One prenatal practice is for the expecting mother to consume vitamins with at least 400 μg of folic acid. It is a government recommending regimen to help prevent neural tube defects of  the newborn in China.Prenatal care generally consists of monthly visits during the first two trimesters(from week 1-28); biweekly from 28 to week 36 of pregnancy; weekly after week 36(delivery at week 38-40); and assessment of parental needs and family dynamic.

  另外，强烈建议每一位孕妇都进行系统全面的产前护理。产前护理，也被称为产前保健，是指妇女妊娠之前和妊娠期间的医疗与护理保健。完善的产前护理的目的是尽早发现并解决潜在的问题，并且如有可能，去防止这些问题的发生（例如：建议孕妇通过适当营养，体育锻炼和维生素摄入等来预防疾病和孕期不适）或在必要时寻求专业医师或医院的帮助。规范的产前护理在降低产妇死亡率和流产率，减少出生缺陷和低出生体重儿等其他可预防的新生儿问题中发挥了作用。动物研究表明，排卵和受孕之前母亲（可能也包括父亲）的饮食，维生素的摄入和血糖水平对胎儿生长、青少年期和成年期可能的疾病会产生长期的影响。产前保健对个人健康和社会福利都有益，然而无论是在发展中国家还是在发达国家社会经济问题都会影响其全面实施。建议计划受孕和妊娠妇女服用叶酸400μg/d。在中国，这已经包含在预防胎儿神经管畸形的政府推荐围生期保健内容中。围生期保健通常要求，孕1-28周，每月检查一次；孕28-36周每两周检查一次；孕36-40周(孕38-40周分娩),每周检查一次，直至分娩。围生期检查不仅包括产妇的评估，还包括家庭的动态评估。